• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.499-504
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• 2000

The effect of anodic oxidation on high strength PAN-based carbon fibers has been studied in terms of surface functionality and surface energetics of the fiber surfaces, resulting in improving the mechanical properties of composites. According to FT-IR and XPS measurements, it reveals that the oxygen functional groups on fiber surfaces induced by an anodic oxidation largely influence the surface energetics of fibers or the mechanical interfacial properties of composites, such as the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of composites. According to the contact angle measurements based on the wicking rate of a test liquid, it is observed that anodic oxidation does lead to an increase in surface free energy of the carbon fibers, mainly due to the increase of its specific (or polar) component. From the surface energetic point of view, it is found that good wetting plays an important role in improving the degree of adhesion at interfaces between fiber and epoxy resin matrix of the resulting composites. Also, a direct linear relationship is shown between 01s/01s ratio and ILSS or between specific component and ILSS of the composites for this system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.3-6
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• 2003

In this work, poly(ethylene oxide) nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning to prepare nanofibers-reinforced composites. And the PEO powders-impregnated composites were also prepared to compare with physicochemical properties of nanofibers-reinforced composites. Morphology and fiber diameter of PEO nanofibers were determined by SEM observation. Mechanical interfacial properties of the composites were investigated in fracture toughness tests and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) test. As a result, the fiber diameter decreased in increasing applied voltage. However the optimum condition for the fiber formation was 15 ㎸, resulting from increasing of jet instability at high voltage and the prepared PEO nanofibers were useful in fiber reinforced composites. The PEO-based nanofibers-reinforced composites showed an improvement of fracture toughness factors ($K_{IC} and G_{ IC}$) and ILSS, compared to the composites impregnated with PEO powders. These results were noted that the nanofibers had higher specific surface area and larger aspect ratio than those of the powder, which played an important role in improving the mechanical interfacial properties of the composites.

• Composites Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.82-87
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• 2021

The mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites (CFRPs) are greatly dependent on the interfacial adhesion between the carbon fibers and the epoxy matrix. Introducing nanomaterial reinforcements into the interface is an effective approach to enhance the interfacial adhesion of CFRPs. The main purpose of this work was to introduce graphitic nanofiber (GNFs) between an epoxy matrix and carbon fibers to enhance interfacial properties. The composites were reinforced with various concentrations of GNFs. For all of the fabricated composites, the optimum GNF content was found to be 0.6 wt%, which enhanced the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and fracture toughness (KIC) by 101.9% and 33.2%, respectively, compared with those of neat composites. In particular, we observed a direct linear relationship between ILSS and KIC through surface free energy. The related reinforcing mechanisms were also analyzed and the enhancements in mechanical properties are mainly attributed to the interfacial interlocking effect. Such an effort could accelerate the conversion of composites into high performance materials and provide fundamental understanding toward realizing the theoretical limits of interfacial adhesion and mechanical properties.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.326-332
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• 2000

The effects of sizing agent on the final mechanical properties of the glass fiber/unsaturated polyester composites were investigated by contact angle measurements at room temperature. In this work, glass fibers were coated by poly(vinyl alcohol), polyester, and epoxy type sizing agent and each property was compared. Contact angles of the sized glass fiber were measured by the wicking method based on Washburn equation using deionized water and diiodomethane as testing liquids. As an experimental result, the surface free energy calculated from contact angle showed the highest value in case of the glass fiber coated by epoxy sizing agent. From measurements of interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and fracture toughness ( $K_{IC}$ ) of the composites, it was found that the sizing treatment on fibers could improve the fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion, resulting in growing the final mechanical properties. This was due to the enhanced surface free energy of glass fibers in a composite system.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.791-796
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• 2013

In this study, the mechanical properties of a carbon fiber/polypropylene composite were evaluated according to the carbon fiber surface treatment. Carbon fiber surface treatments such as silane coupling agents and plasma treatment were performed to enhance the interfacial strength between carbon fibers and polypropylene. The treated carbon fiber surface was characterized by XPS, SEM, and single-filament tensile test. The interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of the composite with respect to the surface treatment was determined by a short beam shear test. The test results showed that the ILSS of the plasma-treated specimen increased with the treatment time. The ILSS of the specimen treated with a silane coupling agent after plasma treatment increased by 48.7% compared to that of the untreated specimen.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.313-319
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• 2012

In this work, the electroplating of copper was introduced on PAN-based carbon fibers for the enhancement of mechanical interfacial strength of carbon fibers-reinforced composites. The surface properties of carbon fibers were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and contact angle measurements. Its mechanical interfacial properties of the composites were studied by interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and critical stress intensity factor ($K_{IC}$). From the results, it was found that the mechanical interfacial properties of Cu-plated carbon fibers-reinforced composites (Cu-CFRPs) enhanced with increasing the Cu plating time, Cu content and COOH group up to Cu-CFRP-30. However, the mechanical interfacial properties of the Cu-CFRPs decreased dramatically in the excessively Cu-plated CFRPs sample. In conclusion, the presence of Cu particles on carbon fiber surfaces can be a key factor to determine the mechanical interfacial properties of the Cu-CFRPs, but the excessive Cu content can lead the failure due to the interfacial separation between fibers and matrices in this system.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.336-342
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• 1999

Various surface treatment techniques can be applied onto the surface of carbon fibers to increase interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). In a commerciaI treatment, first, surface of carbon fiber was oxidized, after that, a sizing agent was coated to improve handleability and adhesion to the matrix. Carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRC) which is made of these fibers show excellent ILSS but show low vaIues of impact strength In this study, reactive and ductile interphase was introduced between fiber and matrix to increase both the ILSS and impact strength. By using electric conductivity of carbon fibers, flexible polymers which have ionizable group, i.e., MVEMA and EMA, were coated onto the surface (oxidized) of carbon fiber by the technique of electrodeposition. ILSS and impact strength of composites were evaluated according to the surface treatments, i.e., commercial sizing treatment, interphase introduction, and without sizing treatment. Izod impact strength and ILSS of CFRC were simultaneously improved in thc thickness range of $0.08{\sim}0.12{\mu}m$ of MVEMA interphase. Water resistance of the composites was decreased by introducing MVEMA interphase.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.100-103
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• 2004

In this work, the effects of oxy-fluorination on surface characteristics of carbon fibers were investigated in mechanical interfacial properties of carbon fibers-reinforced composites. The surface properties of the carbon fibers were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), FT-IR. and contact angle measurements. And their mechanical interfacial properties of the composites were studied in interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and critical stress intensity factor $(K_{IC})$. As experimental results, the $F_{1S}/C_{1S}$ ratio of carbon fiber surfaces was increased by oxy-fluorination, due to the development of the oxygen containing functional groups. The mechanical interfacial properties of the composites, including ILSS and $K_{IC}$, had been improved in the oxy-fluorination on fibers. These results could be explained that the oxy-fluorination was resulted in the increase of the adhesion between fibers and matrix in a composite system.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2013

Epoxy matrix based composites were fabricated by adding SiC nano fillers. The interfacial properties of composites were varied with different shapes of SiC nano fillers. To investigate the shape effects on the interfacial properties, beta and whisker type SiC nano fillers were used for this evaluation. The dispersion states of nano SiC-epoxy nanocomposites were evaluated by capacitance measurements. FE-SEM was used to observe the fracture surface of different structures of SiC-epoxy nanocomposites and to investigate for reinforcement effect. Interfacial properties between carbon fiber and SiC-epoxy nanocomposites were also evaluated by ILSS (interlaminar shear strength) and IFSS (interfacial shear strength) tests. The interfacial adhesion of beta type nanocomposites was better than whisker type.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 2013

In this work, the anodic oxidation of carbon fibers was carried out to enhance the mechanical interfacial properties of carbon fibers-reinforced epoxy matrix composites. The surface characteristics of the carbon fibers were studied by FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Also, the mechanical interfacial properties of the composites were studied with interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), critical stress intensity factor ($K_{IC}$), and critical strain energy release rate ($G_{IC}$). The anodic oxidation led to a significant change in the surface characteristics of the carbon fibers. The anodic oxidation of carbon fiber improved the mechanical interfacial properties, such as ILSS, $K_{IC}$, and $G_{IC}$ of the composites. The mechanical interfacial properties of the composites anodized at 20% sulfuric/nitric (3/1) were the highest values among the anodized carbon fibers. These results were attributed to the increase of the degree of adhesion at interfaces between the carbon fibers and the matrix resins in the composite systems.